The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-09
A FENIAN SCARE.

Scotland Yard Omcials Seek to Create Alarm
Over Alleged Plot.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
LONDON, Oct. S-The Scotland Yard officials
profess to have received information to the eff
feet that q number of American Fenians
contemplating series of dynamite outrages in
Ireland and England. Returning ships at both
Queenstown and Liverpool are closely watched
and sharp watch is kept upon the American
Fenians by trusted agents in New York. All the
special police precautions that were in dur
ing the troublous times of 1881 and 1882 have
been revived for Mr.. Balfours protection.
OF course. the Home Secretary and the Chief
Secretary for Ireland are the functionaries
against whom threats of violence are most fire.
quently directed, and at times of the alleged
special activity in Fenian circles Sir VIM. Har-
court and Sir George Trevelyan used to be sur
rounded by body-guards of detectives. Mr..
Gladstone. whose physical courage, or, rather.
insensibilty to danger. is one Of his most marked
characteristics used to give the police authori-
ties great trouble by his unwillingness to be
protected and his disregard of prescribed precau-
tons. One evening in January, 1881. while Mr..
Forsters coercion bill was being fought through
the Commons, Sir William Harcourt was enter
tanning some friends at dinner at his residence
on Grafton street. During dinner the servant
announced that one of the chief officials from
Scotland Yard had come to see the Home
Secretary important business. Sir
William left the table and did not
-sejoin his guests that evening. Some months
later he made explanation to of the
guests. A warning had reached Scotland Yard
that Mr. Gladstone was to be murdered that
night on his way home from the House of Com
mons to Downing street, and Sir William was
sent for in the hope that he might be able to do
what the police could not-rersuade Mr.. Glad
stone to drive home in his carriage when the
House rose, instead of walking, his
tom. This MIR. Gladstone positively refused to
do. He pooh-poohed the whole affair and
walked homo as usual, followed, without his
consent. by his special detective. who used to
say that the Prime Minister'S activity made
him difficult to follow than any
thief vino lodged the officers Of
the law. A similar story is told by gentleman
who was sergeant at arms to the House of Com
mons in the Chartist times, when Lord John
Russell was Prime Minister. Sir George Gray,
who was Home Secretary, sent for the sergeant
one day. and said: Letters have reached the
Home Office threatening Lord John Russell.
Tell one of the House of Commons policemen to
walk home after him to Gresham Place every
night When the sergeant gave the order to
the inspector the man replied: 'Oh, bless yon.
sir! that's all right we always soc Lord John
safe home, and Sir George, too"
The admissions, at Ennis of Callnan, the in
former, have greatly excited Fenian cir
Giles in this city and Paris, and suspicion
prevails among them that certain blatant
Fenians in America have for years, been in the
pay of the British government. Callinan ad-
mitted that he planned the raid on farmer Sex
toms house in order to deliver his companions
over to the police, and that all his expenses
paid by the government The question naturally
arises, were the parties who have planned the
dynamite outrages in England of recent years
also paid by the government? 1t is certainly
strange that all the dynamiters hail
ing from America were captured. promptly
convicted and sent to prison, a number for life
terms. It is true that the testimony of the
Brooklyn informer, Jim McDermott. secured
the conviction Of number of them, but the be-
lief now prevails that RED jim" had assistants
in America. Ferians, both in London and in
Paris, disclaim any knowledge of intended out
RACES, and say that if any perpetrated they
will be committed by the paid plotters of the
Callinap stripe at the instigaton of the govern
ment, fer the purpose of injuring the home-rule
cause and creating reaction in favor of it's
coercion poiicy.